Stefan Graduates High School

Last week was a crazy one for sure. I worked Sunday and half a day Monday, then I got the Dup and we got in the car to drive six and a half hours to go to my parents' house in Western NC. It is a long drive, 410 miles or so, and unfortunately with Ryan in cycle it was just the two of us.

We had a rather uneventful drive for the most part. It did storm really badly at one point so I got in the right lane with my flashers on and drove 30 miles an hour, but it didn't last long! I also got my first audiobook (Billy Crystal's Still Fooling 'Em which I highly recommend!) and that helped the ride go by a bit quicker. The reason I am driving out there?

My baby brother graduated high school

That little dimpled face is how he always seems to appear in my head! But he isn't five, he is someone who is nearly six feet tall, crazy strong, super intelligent, and just all around amazing. And he is totally worth driving 800 miles in less than three days for. I got in late Monday night and Tuesday evening was the graduation. His high school actually used the auditorium at Western Carolina University, hence the giant purple cat thing in the background.

I am so ridiculously proud of this kid. He was in the technical honor society (hence the white chord) and was the only student to graduate with perfect attendance... all four years. Who does that?! My baby brother, that's who. He also has had over $150,000 offered to him in scholarship money. I remember when he was in elementary school, struggling with his dyslexia and dysgraphia, frustrated when it slowed him down. But with tutoring and some of the hardest perseverance I have ever witnessed, he rose above it. Honors classes, amazing honor roll level grades, top notch ACT scores... he has been living proof that learning disabilities only hinder you as much as you let them. I look up to him for that and I am so incredibly proud of him, I cannot say it enough.

We got there a little early... so we did have to sit for awhile. My parents look thrilled as does Emilio, Stefan's best friend from growing up that flew in to surprise him! But finally the ceremony started.

The ceremony was good... I don't really know how to judge these things since the last high school graduation I attended was my own ten years ago, but it seemed decent. 

My mom teared up when they played Baby of Mine and displayed baby pictures of the seniors (see the clothes basket above) followed by their senior portrait, but we all held it together pretty well. Their valedictorian was a sixteen year old who skipped two grades and in her speech referenced both Harry Potter and Taylor Swift (sigh) but otherwise everything went well. All too soon my little buddy was swaggering his way across the stage.

HE DID IT!

As the ceremony ended he held up his diploma to us, waving like crazy and giving us the thumbs up... he was the only one who did and I made sure to get a picture of it. He was so incredibly proud, as were we, and he was the only one who did such a thing. Because he is just that amazingly awesome.

Still proud!

I also finally got to meet Halie, his girlfriend, who is an absolute sweetheart. My baby brother has chosen well. They were best friends for nearly four years before they finally started dating, even though Halie is a year ahead of him in school they made it work. Stefan decided to go to school not too far from where Halie currently goes, so they plan on staying together for the foreseeable future. 

Since Stefan picked me up at my college graduation (on the left in 2009 at the WWII Memorial) I had to recreate the picture on the right in reverse. I did kick off my heels first! He was convinced I couldn't pick him up but I showed him! We all went out for a nice dinner afterwards and had a great night.

Wednesday came way too fast and before I knew it it was time to hit the road. My parents are moving at the end of the month so this would be our last time in their amazing mountain house. The view above is the view from their deck and one I am definitely going to miss. The six and a half hour drive will now only be a two and a half hour drive, which is awesome. My family only moved to the mountains about five years ago, so I didn't grow up there, but it is the house Ryan and I spent our honeymoon in and we still have a lot of great memories, it was sad to leave.

But Dup and I hit the road again and for the first time in her three and a half years she stuck her head out the car window! I had to take a picture to send to Ryan as proof! My mom was driving behind us and even called me incredulously saying, "Is the Dup sticking her head out the window?!" 

Yes, my dog is weird.

The drive home was long, especially when we hit traffic, but I am glad I made the trip and got to celebrate this milestone with my little brother.

I'm proud of you buddy!

Weekend in Jersey

This past weekend my mom was going to be in New Jersey for a craft show at church. Knowing my mom was four hours away instead of eight I drove up Friday night to spend the weekend with her. It officially had been the longest time we have ever gone without seeing one another! July to November. I know it isn't a lot, but it was for us!

My drive up Friday was long. Lots of construction and accidents, so instead of an hour to get to my usual rest stop it took me two. Luckily. I still had my favorite radio station, country of course, 98.7 WMZQ playing a lot longer than I should have. I was about ten miles from the rest stop when the DJ said caller nine right now wins tickets to see Miranda Lambert. I always try so I thought, What the hell? I picked up my phone and got the number out of my contacts (I told you, I try a lot!) and it rang.

On the first try it rang.

AND I WON!

No usual hang up, redial, hang up, redial. One shot, boom I am through!!!!

I am going to my FIRST country concert in January... for free!!! SO pumped!



Anyway, I got into Jersey around 11:30pm. My mom was at my grandparents' house and she didn't tell them I was coming, so they had a nice surprise! I slept in my old room and it was strange... I don't even remember the last time I spent the night there. We used to live 45 minutes away, plenty of visiting... so it was cool. I felt like a little kid again in a way.

We had to get up early the next day to get my mom to the church, but we did enjoy breakfast together first.

I dropped my mom off at church then went and got my oil changed. You get a free exterior car wash with an oil change so I went to watch my car go through and I saw these...



Guns to shoot water at your car! You bet your bottom dollar I used them all. I don't care if they were for kids, it was fun!!!

I then went to our friend Fran's house and took a much needed shower before napping on their couch. Pretty much all afternoon. I then drove and met my mom at the church and on my way I saw these!




It was a little chilly, I am sure especially out there, but I love seeing them in Jersey. Also there were tons of trees down from the freak snow storm last week. No snow, but plenty of damage.



Anyway we went to mass and then out to Fridays. I had a gift card for Kohls and we went there and I ended up getting early Christmas treatment from Mom (: I spent more than my gift card for sure but I really needed sweaters and stockings for work! I love them all.

We then went back to Fran's and had the night talking to her, her husband Rob, and their kids Chris and Nicole. Chris is my brother Stefan's best friend and I cannot believe how big he got! Freshman boys are huge. Dear Lord. Nicole grew too! We watched some football (Sad day Gamecocks, but woohoo Tigers!) and then went to bed.

The next morning I went to the church again and mom told me we had to go look at the house.



My parents couldn't sell the house so we have renters for at least a year before trying again. I was aprehensive, I didn't want to go see the house I grew up in from six years old on with other people in it. But I am glad I did... it was definitely closure. It wasn't my house anymore. It is definitely a country house and they have all this modern furniture in it that just does not work. And they totally were smoking in there. It kind of upset me to see the house in such a way as we checked the hot tub and furnace, but it definitely made me realize that is not my home anymore.

Back at the church Craft Fair I sold raffle tickets and walked around. I got an awesome wine purse (giraffe pattern) as well as a delicious sausage and pepper sandwich. And a meatball sandwich for good measure. Man I miss Jersey food! My two aunts came to the show too with one of my cousins and it was great to see them as well.

Then it was back on the road for me. Gas was SO cheap I had to take a picture...



Luckily the drive home was quicker and I got to see the Giants win! GO BIG BLUE!

I am glad I had the time with my mom. It has been a long time since it was just us two and I really miss her. We talk on the phone daily but it is so much better to be together in person.



Totally worth eight hours in the car (:

Oooh! Want!

Ok. Going to look very greedy and girly in this post but I cannot help it!!

I have fallen in love with these items. I need to win the lottery to get them all (:

These $98.00 Manolos I saw in a vintage shop in Old Town. And they were my size. Sigh.



This gorgeous dress from Shabby Apple



This set of poppy hair pins from Etsy



or this ring



Because I love what it represents. More people in England wear poppies in remembrance than here in America, but I've seen it. My Poppy used to give me a paper poppy pin (woah that sounds confusing) every year that his VFW would hand out. I want a slightly nicer version of that to wear in November, especially for Veteran's Day.

And basically this whole outfit would work in my book. Thanks pintrest!





I am going to drive to NJ tonight to see my mom since she is visiting there too. I haven't seen her since July, and this is officially the longest we have ever gone without visiting. The four hour drive on my own I am not looking forward to though!

And we found out last night Ryan got extended another month. Sigh. He does not graduate until April 12th instead of March 12th. So that will be 9 months living apart instead of 8. Joy. At least we get to see one another. I leave for the ball in two weeks (and he BETTER pick me up in the airport and not make me drive three hours in a rental car ALONE in an unfamiliar place after flying seven hours since he told me to fly into that particular airport....) and I cannot wait to see him again. Leave spoiled me!

A is for Apple and Australia

If 1% of the people posting Steve Jobs quotes right now follow the advice in that quote tomorrow, tomorrow will be his biggest innovation,



Very brilliant and innovative man, my thoughts are with his family most definitely.

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Today my link up song is a blast from the past, for me! When I was 16 I had the amazing privilege to travel to Australia as a Student Ambassador with People to People.



I was with a large group of high schoolers, four teacher/guides, our Australian leader and a bus driver as we traveled from Syndey up to Cairns over the period of six weeks. It was amazing. I had the chance to see some amazing sights; the Opera House, the Outback, the Rain Forest, the Great Barrier Reef... and even a home stay for a few days where I went to an Australian high school for the day. I saw a Sugar Cane burning, Cattle branding and castration on the outback, tons of fish and sea life, held a koala, pet a kangaroo, even held a snake and a crocodile. It was such an amazing trip that I will never forget.

How does this link to my song choice?

Every morning when we got on the bus Dolly, our Australian guide, would play our "Day Song". It was to pump us up and get us singing and our energy flowing because some of our bus rides were very very early! Our song was by this Australian band called The Choir Boys and it was called Run to Paradise...



For a long time after my trip I would tear up when I heard it! But when I drove up to Jersey this weekend I had my ipod hooked into my car stereo (I LOVE that I can do that!) and this came on so I totally rocked out on 95.

I also may or may not have forgotten my windows were open and was blasting Defying Gravity from Wicked when I hit some traffic... and I was singing very loudly. And I am NOT known for my singing.... the guy in the car next to me was laughing. Oops!

Enjoy!